As the National Government, Local Government Units (LGU), and private sector begin to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for their respective jurisdictions, here is some information you need to know about the available COVID-19 vaccines.

The following are the list of COVID-19 vaccines available around the globe:

Pfizer BioNTech

This vaccine is a collaboration between German company BioNTech and American pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer, and it began its clinical trials last April 2020. It is an RNA vaccine, whereas it creates an immune response by making use of a copy of a natural chemical called the messenger RNA.

• Dose and frequency: Two doses with 21 days apart
• Storage requirement: -80°C to -60°C
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three Clinical Trial (CT): 95% against symptomatic COVID-19
• Common adverse events reported that was observed in phase three CT: 
        - Short-term mild-to-moderate pain at injection site
        - Fatigue
        - Headache
  
  

Oxford AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a partnership between Oxford University and the British-Swedish pharmaceutical and biotechnology company AstraZeneca. This vaccine has reported cases of an usual clotting disorder among those who have gotten their first doses. In Britain, about 30 people have been noted to have developed the rare condition. On April 8, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked the Department of Health (DOH) to stop administering AstraZeneca vaccines to individuals under 60 years old, due to the rare possible side effect of blood clotting.

• Dose and Frequency: Two doses with four to 12 weeks apart
• Storage requirement: 2°C to 8°C
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: 70.4% against symptomatic COVID-19 cases and 100% against severe COVID-19 cases
• Common adverse events reported that was observed in phase three CT: 
        - Injection site pain and tenderness
        - Fatigue
        - Headache
        - Feverishness
        - Myalgia or Muscle pain
  
  

Sinovac CoronaVac

Developed by Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac, this vaccine was one of the first to arrive in the Philippines. Beijing donated around 600,000 doses to the country, which arrived on February 28. This was followed by 400,000 doses on March 24, and while a million were purchased by the Philippine government on March 29. 

• Dose and Frequency: Two doses with 28 days apart
• Storage requirement: 2°C to 8°C
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: 65-91% (based on Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey trials)
• Common adverse effects reported that was observed in pahde three CT: 
       - Local lymphadenopathy or inflammation at injection site 
       - Possible allergic reaction
       - Convulsion
  
  

Moderna

A collaboration between the American pharmaceutical company Moderna, the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Biomedical Advanced Research, and Development Authority (BARDA). On March 19, The Philippine government through its vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., signed a supply agreement with Moderna covering 20 million doses. This vaccine is also a RNA vaccine.

• Dose and Frequency: Two doses with 28 days apart
• Storage requirement: -25 to -15 celsius or two to eight celsius (Life span of 30 days)
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: 94.1% against symptomatic COVIS-19 and 100% against sever COVID-19
• Common adverse effects reported that was observed in pahde three CT:
       - Pain, erythema or swelling on injection site
       - Axillary lymphadenopathy
       - Fever
       - Headache
       - Fatigue
       - Myalgia or muscle pain
       - Arthralgia or joint pain
       - Nausea
       - Vomiting
       - Chills
  
  

Gamaleya Sputnik V

• Dose and Frequency: Two doses with 21 days apart
• Storage requirement: -18°C and below (liquid form)
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: 91.6% against symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% against moderate to severe cases
• Common adverse effects reported that was observed in pahde three CT:
       - Pain on injection site
       - Hyperthermia
       - Swelling
  
  

Bharat BioTech

• Dose and Frequency: Two doses with 14 days apart
• Storage requirement: 2°C to 8°C
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: 80.6% against Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 cases
• Common adverse effects reported that was observed in pahde three CT:
       - Headache
       - Fatigue
       - Fever
       - Body ache
       - Abdominal pain
       - Nausea
       - Vomiting
  
  

Novavax

• Dose and Frequency: Two doses with 21 days apart
• Storage Requirement: 2°C to 8°C
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: Awaiting official phase three interism journal publication
• Common adverse event reported that was observed in phase three CT: Awaiting official phase three interism journal publication
  
  

Janssen

• Dose: One dose
• Storage Requirement: -20°C (Life span of two years), 2°C to 8°C (Life span of three months)
• Vaccine efficacy based on phase three CT: 66.1% to 66.9% against confirmed moderate to severe or critical COVID-19
• Common adverse event reported that was observed in phase three CT: 
       - Pain
       - Redness
       - Swelling
       - Tiredness
       - Headache
       - Muscle pain
       - Chills
       - Fever
       - Nausea
  
  

As of April 13, Vaccine Czar Carlito Gavez shared in a press briefing by Malacañang the status of procurement of various COVID-19 vaccines:

• Sinovac - 25 million doses (ongoing payment and deliveries)
• AstraZeneca - 17 million doses for LGUs and private sector (Deliveries will start on May)
• Moderna - The supply agreement has been signed; 13 million doses will be given for Government use and seven million doses for the private sector. Meanwhile, additional five million doses are under negotiation.
• Novavax - The supply agreement has been signed for 30 million doses (15 million doses for private sector and LGU, respectively.)
• Jannsen - The supply agreement is pending for signing for six million doses.
• Gamaleya Sputnik V - Contracts, negotiations and payments are being finalized.
• Pfizer - 25 to 20 million doses are for negotiations.
  
  

As of April 11, according to the National Task Force against COVID-19, 2,670 vaccination sites are conducting vaccination procedures across the country, with a total of 1,936,600 distributed COVID-19 vaccines among vaccination sites, and 1,139,644 doses administered. 

A total of 545,335 doses have been allocated for Metro Manila, the epicenter of COVID-19 cases in the country, according to NTF’s statistics.

Meanwhile, according to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia, the National Capital Region (NCR) has the capacity to administer 120,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine per day if there is a steady supply of vaccines in the country.

“Yung sinasabing more than 120,000 capacity ng LGUs ito [ay possible] kapag dumating na ang maraming vaccine, kasi right now may priority pa tayo. [...] In NCR alone, we can do at least 120,000 vaccinations per day,” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said in an online press briefing hosted by the Department of Health last April 8.

This article was originally published on April 15, 2021 at The Benildean's Facebook page. Click here to view the Facebook post.